By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals Healthcare does not function in silos. It depends on coordination. Supply chain teams support clinicians with the right products at the right time. Clinical teams rely on dependable logistics to care for patients effectively. Finance monitors the cost impact across operations. IT keeps the infrastructure running behind it all.…

By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals In healthcare supply chain, metrics are everywhere. Fill rates. PAR utilization. Delivery times. Backorder counts. Inventory turns. Cost savings. These numbers matter. They help organizations track performance, identify trends, and guide decision-making. But there is a problem that many teams encounter: the assumption that the dashboard tells the full…

By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals One of the quickest ways to lose trust with a clinical team is to “improve” a supply chain process without understanding what it does to their day. A workflow can look airtight on a spreadsheet, leaner par levels, cleaner routes, faster replenishment, and still fail the moment it hits…

By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals In healthcare supply chain, leadership promotions often follow a familiar script. A technician, coordinator, or lead becomes the “go-to” person. They know the systems, solve problems quickly, show up every day, and keep things moving. When a supervisor role opens, they’re the obvious choice, so we promote them. But…

By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals Healthcare organizations are rich in strategy. Executives set ambitious reform goals. Leaders design workflows. Consultants deliver polished roadmaps filled with timelines, metrics, and best practices. On paper, the path forward is clear. Yet when those same plans reach the frontline, the results often fall short. Confusion sets in. Adoption…

By Keith Bresciani, for SCM Professionals In healthcare supply chain, we spend a lot of time measuring efficiency. We track fill rates, backorders, delivery times, and utilization. But one of the most expensive dynamics I’ve encountered doesn’t appear on any dashboard. It’s the trust tax. Every unexplained short, every delivery that blocks a med room,…

By Keith Bresciani, For SCM Professionals Introduction I’ve seen this scenario play out time and time again. A supply chain team launches a well-intentioned reform, product standardization, inventory optimization, redesigned delivery schedules. On paper, the strategy is sound. The data supports it. The metrics look strong. And then it stalls. Not because the idea was…

I’ve spent most of my career in operations, starting in the military and continuing in healthcare working alongside the people who actually keep organizations moving. Forklift operators. Distribution techs. Unit clerks. Supervisors who walk ten miles a day without blinking. They hold the mission together. And yet, there’s a quiet crisis unfolding beneath the surface…

The healthcare supply chain is at a crossroads—balancing cost, efficiency, and patient care in an increasingly complex landscape. Traditional models focused on operational logistics must evolve into strategic frameworks that prioritize adaptability, technology integration, and value-based decision-making. As healthcare organizations face workforce constraints, regulatory shifts, and unpredictable supply disruptions, leaders must rethink their approach. Supply…

One of the most common patterns I’ve observed in healthcare operations, and frankly,across most industries, is what I call the Promotion Echo.It goes like this: Not because they aren’t capable.But because the only leadership model they’ve ever known… is the one they were promotedunder. The Problem with PromotionIn many systems, promotions aren’t based on strategic…